Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The NBA Draft Lottery offered clarity in the order of selections for the June 23rd NBA Draft. The Lottery is a bit like when Santa Claus appears in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It symbolizes the start of the "Draft season". ...The Pre Draft combine starts tomorrow in Chicago and we will begin to get into the nitty gritty of measurements, and testing results. But as previously stated - nothing beats actually having watched full games in their proper context.

Most of my feelings on 2011 Draft prospects are set. Certainly I will continue to filter all of the information I can stomach but it seems funny to me that so much attention is placed on the combine where the players NEVER actually play ANY games or team basketball.

How would Dirk Nowitzki fare in the weight lifting and running and jumping tests were he to be subjected to them? Remember when Kevin Durant couldn’t lift the bench bar once? The information gleaned at the combine IS a piece to the puzzle but it should be a nano-particle size piece.

…Here are some players I believe could have easily been invited to Chicago but somehow were shut out:

Mario Little - Kansas - This one really stumps me overall. I search for any news regarding Little and the NBA and I come up empty. Didn't anyone watch Kansas games this year. Little outplayed Josh Selby by miles.

Justin Brownlee - St. John's - NBA body - and he can make mid-range shots. He moves the ball - and sees the floor very well - often winding up with assists - passing from the hi-post. …Has a dependable turn around, fade away jump shot that is hard to guard. ...He rebounds outside his area. Quick enough that he will take almost any opposing PF off the dribble. ...Powerful enough to take contact and still hit a shot.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Each year we acknowledge the guys who play in every regular season NBA game. This season 31 players accomplished the feat that screams "professional". If you manage to play in all 82 games that means you took care of your body, didn't lose your cool, and earned the confidence of your coaches. The "82 Gamer" list for 2010-11